Lobelia erinus plant named ‘TiLu’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of ‘Lobelia erinus’ having pendulous stems, freely branching plant habit, light blue flowers with a white eye that are produced continuously throughout the growing season, dark green to bronzish green foliage, and good heat tolerance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar botanicallyknown as ‘Lobelia erinus’, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivarname ‘TiLu’.

The cultivar of the accompanying photograph was developed and selectedin a controlled breeding program in Coquille, Oreg. by the Inventor,Harlan Cosner, as described herein.

The plant is intended primarily to be ornamentally used in, for example,hanging baskets, patio tubs, window boxes, as bedding plants and othersuch application.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELEVANT ART

The seed parent of the present invention was ‘Sapphire Lobelia’ (notpatented), and the pollen parent was ‘Crystal Palace Lobelia’ (notpatented), both of which are commercially available as seed-producedvarieties though most seed catalogs. The inventor to date has beenunable to reproduce the instant cultivar from seeds.

The seed parent is pendulous, growing much more airy and open with lessbranching than the present invention. The flower color of the seedparent is a very dark blue with a white eye, and the foliage is mediumgreen on the upper surface and a lighter green on the lower surface.When grown under direct sunlight without cover and/or at temperaturesbelow those in the specification, flower color intensified to a darkerblue. The pollen parent is a short upright variety with stem growthgenerally less than 15 cm. The flower color is also a very dark blue.

The cultivar of the present invention has light blue flowers, which setsit apart from either parent, both of which have dark blue flowers. Thefoliage of the present invention is dark green on the top surface, anddark bronzy-green on the underside surface compared to the seed parent,which has a medium green foliage on the top surface and a lighter greenfoliage on the underside surface. The present invention is alsopendulous in comparison to the pollen parent, which is very short withan upright habit. The present invention is more freely branching thanthe seed parent, and the stems of the present invention are more compactthan the seed parent.

The plant was discovered as a result of a planned breeding program. Theinventor made the cross at Coquille, Oreg., and the first asexualpropagation was completed at Coquille, Oreg., on Jul. 15, 1997.Successive generations of asexual reproductions have proven the plant tobe stable.

Color references are according to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significanceare used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia erinus having pendulous stems,freely branching plant habit, light blue flowers with a white eye thatare produced continuously throughtout the growing season (generallyfrost-free period spring through fall), dark green to bronzish greenfoliage, and good heat tolerance.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The attached color photographs illustrate the cultivar of the presentinvention.

PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following observations, measurements and description of the plantand flowers are based on the following environment and culturalpractices at Broadbent, Oreg. The description below is of the plantshown in the photographs. The following measurements, values andcomparisons describe plants grown under a double layer of polyethylenefilm, with temperatures ranging from about 50° F. to about 75° F. duringthe daytime. Night minimum temperatures were maintained at about 50° F.The individual plants were grown in 10-inch hanging baskets in a soilessmedium consisting of a Peatlite-type mix. Plants were liquid fed with20-10-20 plus minor elements. The plant grows to stem length of about 35cm. in about 12 weeks from a rooted cutting. The cutting types werelateral stems with leaves. Cuttings were stuck in about the first weekof September 2000; flowering began in about the first week of Februrary2001. Light levels were 1,000-6,000 ft. candles, depending on cloudcover.

The plant of the present invention has not been observed in all possibleenvironmental and/or cultural conditions. The phenotype may varysignificantly with variations in environment such as temperature, lightlevel, humidity and also with cultural practices such as fertility, soiland water quality.

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance and theflower color of the cultivar of the present invention described herein.The photographs were taken of a mature plant at about 12 weeks of agefrom rooted cutting during early inflorescence. Finishing times couldvary with the time of year cuttings are stuck, e.g., sticking in springwould lead to quicker finishing times than in fall or winter.

There may be variations between the colors in the photographs and thecolors in the following description due to, for example, lightreflectance, the amount of blue or red light captured in the film,and/or propagation stress. If such variations occur, then writtendescription shall control.

The following description was taken of the TiLu cultivar shown in thephotographs.

Parentage: The new cultivar was developed by standard cross-pollination.As noted above, its seed parent was a ‘Sapphire Lobelia’ (not patented),and the pollen parent was a ‘Crystal Palace’ (not patented) Lobelia.

Propagation:

Type of cutting.—Lateral stems with leaves.

Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 14 to 21 days.

Appearance and form of mature plant:

Plant form and habit.—Plant for is free branching and pendulous.

Plant size.—Mature plants are about 10 cm. in height, and about 50 cm.in width. Both of these measurements are a function of age, the aboveenvironmental and cultural practices, and can vary accordingly.

Rooting habit.—Roots are fibrous, freely branching, and often stems arecallused above ground at the nodes, with the roots easily forming fromthese callused nodes. The application of rooting hormones is not neededon any cuttings, even those without callus present at the time ofsticking.

Stems.—Pendulous, with length at first flower production of about 40 cm.Color does not match any in the chart and is closest to, but darkerthan, 199A with a greenish overtone. Diameter of stems is about 2 mm.,and internode length is about 2 cm.

Foliage.—Leaves are alternate and flat, generally curved at the petioleto grow horizontal when stems are growing vertical from a hangingbasket. Shape is ovate to nearly orbical with lobed margins, acute apex,and attenuate base. There is no real definition between petiole and leafother than the margin becomes entire along the petiole.

Foliage size.—The size of the largest leaves is about 3.5 cm long andabout 2.5 cm. wide.

Foliage color.—Adaxial surface color is 147A, with lateral venationbeing distinguishable to indistinguishable from the color of theremainder of the leaf surface. The main vein is close to 146A. Theabaxial surface is close to 200C with lateral veins ridged from thesurface, appearing close to 200B, and a center vein appearing close to146A.

Foliage texture.—The foliage texture is satiny and smooth.

Petioles.—Petioles are about 1 cm. long and flat on the upper surfacewith the color being close to 147A. The abaxial surface is flat with theexception of a center vein which is prominent. The color does not matchany in the cart, but appears close to 200D with overtones appearingclose to 146D. The main vein appears to be close to 146A.

Flower habit.—Flowers are produced freely and continuously throughoutthe growing season.

Flower size.—Flowers are about 2.1 cm. wide and 2 cm. high. The topthree lobes of each petal are about 0.7 cm. wide and 1.2 cm. deep. Theyare elliptic in shape with obtuse apex and entire margin and cuneatebase. Each of the two side lobes is about 2 mm. wide and about 0.7 cm.in length. They are oblanceolate in shape with acute apex and entiremartin and cuneate base. The above measurements refer to the largerflowers.

Flower texture.—Smooth and satiny.

Flower count.—Usually at least 10 flowers per spike with normallyseveral hundred open per plant.

Natural flowering season.—The frost-free period from spring through fallin most growing areas of the United States. First inflorescence appearedabout 12 weeks from transplant of a rooted cutting in early fall.

Duration of flowers.—A single flower would typically last about fourdays, depending on environmental conditions.

Flowers borne.—Flowers are produced one per peduncle on spikes whichfrom at the apex of the stems.

Flower shape and color.—There is one petal with five lobes, with a basesection which is rolled into a tube shape. The sides are not fused toform a complete tube. The adaxial surface of each of the five lobes isclosest to 96C, but does not match any color in the chart. At the baseof the lobes is a spot of white not matching any color in the chart, butwhich appears close to snow white. The spot measures about 2.5 mm. Inwidth. There is a dark bluish spot in the position of about the middleof each lobe of close to 96A to 96B. The base portion from the base ofthe lobes to the base of the flower is close to 92B with stripes ofwhite not matching any color in the chart, which appear to be snowwhite. There are tiny spots close to 83B in the top half of the baseportion of the petal. The abaxial surface is close to 94D with whitishstripes in the center of the base portion close to, but lighter than,84D, and not matching any color in the chart but may actually be closerto a milk white.

Buds.—Buds prior to opening are 145B to 145C.

Bud size and shape.—The buds prior to opening are about 0.5 cm. inlength, about 2 to 3 mm. in diameter, and obovate in shape.

Peduncles.—There is one flower per peduncle. About 2.5 cm. long and lessthan 1 mm. in diameter. The color is close to 143A. There is anacicular-shaped leaflet at the point of attachment of the peduncle tothe spike, the largest of which is about 3 cm. in length, about 0.4 cm.in width, and is colored close to 147B on the adaxial surface and closeto 166A on the abaxial surface.

Spikes.—The spike can range in length from 30 cm. to 70 cm. in length,depending on the number of flowers per spike. The internode length isgenerally between 3 cm. and 5 cm. in length with a width of about 1 mm.The color is 146A.

Calyx.—There is one with five lobes. The color is close to 144A, thelength is about 2 mm. from the peduncle to the lobes. The lobes areabout 0.7 cm. in length, about 1 mm. in width, and the shape isacicular.

Reproductive organs.—Ovary is colored close to 144B, about 1 mm. inlength, and 1 mm. in diameter. The stigma is about 1 mm. in diameter,and the color is close to 92A with a dark center to close to 93A. Thestyle is about 0.75 cm. in length, about 0.5 mm. in width and with acolor close to 145A. The anther is a single organ, which covers thestigma and is shed subsequent to release of the pollen. It has five tinyprongs that extend from the calyx to the tip of the style. The prongsare about 0.75 cm. long and less than 1 mm. wide, and colored close to92D at the base, and 92A to 92B at the tops. The anter is about 2 mm.long and about 1 mm. wide. The color is close to 93B at the apex, andthe base appears close to 202B. The pollen color is closest to 93B. Thepollen and anther are shed prior to the stigma being receptive topollen. As a result, seed production has not been observed without sometype of mechanical pollination.

Disease resistance.—No susceptibilities were noted, but testing has notbeen conducted.

Rooting ability.—Easy, no hormones needed.

Fragrance.—None detected by the inventor.

Cold/heat resistance.—The cultivar has flowered continuously in daytimetemperatures between 85° F. and 95° F., while the flower of both parentsterminated, and the pollen parent expired in the higher temperatures ofthe range. Plants, if hardened off properly, can tolerate light frostswith little damage.

COMPARISON TO PRIOR ART

The cultivar has only been compared to the parents and the comparison isindicated above.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct variety of ‘Lobelia erinus’ plant,as illustrated and described herein.